Happenstances
by Silpelit7
Summary: Days before the third Angel's attack, a boy from Ayanami's past is brought to NERV. Typical 'one person might make a difference' idea. Fourth chapter released it's kinda rough around the edges.
1. The Children

Title: Happenstances Supervisor: Silpelit7  
Final Genesis Committee   
Disclaimer: I don't own EVA or anything else. I even stole all the words from the dictionary. The storylines are based off the manga alterations, of which I also have no ownership.

-

1947. Wadi Qumran.

A wizened old man shielded his eyes from the intense sunlight of the desolation which surrounded him. He pulled the rim of his hat down again, trying to find some relief. His escort chatted away with the native men of the area which had found the documents only a few days ago. Not even the governments of the world knew of these discoveries as of yet. The area was devoid of life, even indiginous plant life seemed to have abandoned the vicinity long ago.

He peered over the cliffs towards the Dead Sea. This was the day he had been expecting for so long. The documents inside the caves would shape the destiny of Mankind. Soon, the first being could be found and the contact experiment would become feasible. Instrumentality was mere footsteps away. All the thousands of years of SEELE's waiting would not be in vain. More importantly, all of his own hard work would be validated.

The escort approached him finally, an ancient-looking pot in his hands; a wide smile on his face. "Here it is. He says this is the one which holds the documents you seek."

"How does he know, if these were just recently found?" the old man asked suspiciously.

"That isn't true," he escort sneered. "They have been guarded in secrecy for two thousand years. The establishment of the Israeli state has disillusioned many younger men. The families who have watched over these documents so diligently in the past have gone away. With the small sum of money you offered, it was easy to convince one of the men to sell us the scrolls you wished for," the Arabic explained.

"And how do we know that these scrolls are the genuine article?" The escort waved his hand nonchalantly in the acrid air.

"You're a very powerful man; we know this. Please have faith in my men's intelligence reports. Believe me, we don't wish to upset you."

Kihl Lorenz smiled, and his eyes widened ever so slightly behind his thick glasses. The secret Dead Sea Scrolls which told man's past, present and future were now in his possession. Now the only key left to opening Heaven's Gate was the location of Adam Kadmon, the first being. It was only a matter of time, and he could afford to wait just a bit more.

---

Subcaption 1:  
The Final Steps Before...

---

2015. Neo-Tokyo-3.

As Unit 01 deactivated, the shock and horror slowly died out of the Announcement Room. The silence was replaced by busy noises as the activity flowed back into the staff's bodies. "Dispatching retrieval teams and emergency crews!"

"Recall EVA-01 to the Geofront as soon as possible," Misato ordered sternly. The Captain quickly walked over to Lieutenant Hyuga's console. "What are the pilot's life signs?"

"He's unconscious, but there seems to be no brain damage. He'll make a full recovery in a couple days," the younger man responded.

On the Command level, Fuyutsuki turned his back on the others. His face was hard as he looked down on Ikari. "So this is what you had planned all along, why you forced your own child into the EVA," the professor coldly stated. "You knew she would go out of control if Shinji was placed in danger."

"We programmed the EVAs to never go berserk, therefore I had no plans which used this as a means. However, it was a convenient occurrance, and the pilot was unharmed," Ikari responded calmly from behind steepled hands. "Get the PR team prepped."

Fuyutsuki Kouzou gazed down at Ikari with contempt before leaving.

The holoscreens of EVA-01 were slowly replaced with images of the damage done to Tokyo-3 and the Geofront. The bridge staff were all drawn into their own facets of the cleanup process, and it was more than fifteen minutes before Dr. Akagi noticed a small holowindow left open at an abandoned station. She recoiled in shock and decided to inform the Commander of the situation, since Misato had already left to check on the Third Children's status.

Ikari stood as Ritsuko approached him. "What's going on?" he asked quietly, recognizing the sense of urgency the doctor carried with her. She typed a few instructions into his console and stood back as the image appeared. Akagi watched as he surveyed the screen, trying to discern some kind... any kind, of reaction.

But no, his face remained stone. "I don't see any concern with this. He will recover."

"Yes, but the psychological impression may severely harm his synchronization! He may even refuse to pilot because of this!" she exclaimed. Her tone was a bit more angry than she had wished for. "This child was brought here under your own orders, without any word from the Marduk Organization. He is your responsibility." As she spoke Ritsuko realized the irony. Ikari had just watched his own son go into a battle against an unknown enemy, without any prior training. He even tried to use Ayanami Rei as a pilot, even though she was still recovering from serious injury.

So why would he make a special exception for a total stranger? Ikari pressed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. "I'll take care of it personally. It will not be an issue in the future."

Akagi was left speechless as Gendo turned and disappeared into an elevator. She turned and looked one more time at the screen. There was no change whatsoever. MitamuraKunihiko, the Fourth Children, had not moved a millimeter. He remained prone, eyes and mouth frozen wide open in terror. His fingers were locked tightly around the control levers. The LCL in EVA-00's entry plug was absolutely still.

This child, who had struck Akagi as uncaring only a day before, was stricken with cold fear. He had witnessed the true nature of the beast which he sat inside. Anyone in such a position would be frightened.

---

Happenstances   
Chapter 01: The Children

---

Three days later.

Ikari Shinji walked through the white hallways of the quiet hospital. The images which had awoken him were already gone, leaving him with a mere impression of a dream. A TV reported an explosion in New Tokyo-3, which had occurred without explanation from the government.

'_They didn't say anything about EVA or Angels... Was it all just a dream? Did I get into the EVA? That battle... was it just a dream?_'

He looked down at his right hand, trying to clear his head. After a while he was startled by the sudden turning of wheels and hustle of feet. He turned around slowly, still feeling a bit disoriented. There were two nurses and a doctor pushing a stretcher and IV bag. Ikari winced as he recognized the bandaged patient. It was the girl from before, the other pilot... In the white hospital, her oddly colored hair and eyes were toned down. He couldn't respond when she returned his gaze with her one unbandaged eye.

_'How was she so severely injured? I also piloted the EVA, but I'm OK, even though I was beaten_.'

He followed her progress in silence as she was pushed down the corridor, until an oddly dark figure stole his concentration. It was... his father! Shinji gawked as the man who had called him to Tokyo-3 leaned down and spoke to that girl for just a moment. Shinji only then noticed the boy who had been standing behind his father. He was tall, nearly as tall as the Commander and very thin. His hair was black and cut short, and he seemed to be wearing glasses. The boy was dressed in the local school uniform, his arms crossed and eyes closed.

Soon, the doctors, the pilot, the Commander and the odd boy disappeared down the hallway. Ikari Shinji was growing angrier by the minute. His father... had ignored him completely! Plus he was with some strange guy!

"Oh my, such a cold man," said a woman's voice from behind Shinji. "Surely his tired son deserves some appreciation, huh?" Shinji recognized the voice finally.

"M-misato..." She waved at him as he turned to meet her cheerful smile.

"I came to pick you up," she happily responded. "I heard you woke up so... I'm glad you're OK, Shinji-kun." But he had turned away from her, looking back down the hallway where his father had gone.

"Yea, sort of..."

"I'll take you to your place, if you're ready. HQ is providing some private quarters for you in the city." Misato's smile disappeared as the boy lowered his head and slumped his shoulders.

"Oh, OK." There wasn't much emotion in his voice; he sounded empty to Misato.

"Are you sure that's OK? I could submit a petition to get some room with your father..."

"No, that's alright. I'd feel more at ease living alone. And besides... He doesn't want me around," he sullenly added.

"Parents and children naturally live together! I'm sure it will be OK like this! If you need so say something just-"

"Misato-san, please just leave me alone! Don't worry about it!" he yelled with balled fists, much to Misato's surprise.

"What do you mean? I'm just worried about you," she confessed.

"Don't you have other things to worry about?" he asked, swinging around to face her again. But she was making a scary face...

"You're so gloomy... It's a personality disorder I'll have to fix," the Captain eerily stated as she grabbed her phone out of her pocket. "Hey, Ritsuko, it's me... About Shinji, he's going to be living with me at my condo for a while..."

"What! What are you saying?" Shinji asked warily.

"You think I'm desperate enough to jump a kid? Don't worry! Just get me the approval from upstairs, bye!"

"Y-you... How can you just make these kinds of abritrary decisions? It's crazy; I can't live with you!" the younger boy protested.

"Will you be quiet!" She put her phone away, making that scary face again... "I'm your commanding officer, do you understand?" Her voice was deadly enough to match that face, paralyzing Shinji as she dragged him away.

Meanwhile, the other group had reached Ayanami Rei's room at the hospital. "The incident which took place in the cage didn't cause too much damage, but we had to reset the cast on her left arm," the head doctor explained to Ikari as he flipped through her chart. "I recommend keeping her out of the pilot's chair for at least two weeks more."

Ikari nodded stiffly. "Agreed, thank you." The doctor and nurses excused themselves, leaving Ikari and the tall young boy behind with Ayanami. "Mitamura, is there a problem?" The younger man was pressed against the wall, arms still crossed and an uncomfortable look on his face.

"I don't like hospitals," he responded simply.

"I see," Ikari said, turning to the prone girl. "Rei, this is Mitamura Kunihiko, the Fourth Children. He'll be your replacement until you are healed."

"R-... replacement?" the girl asked weakly.

"Don't worry, it is just temporary. He's actually the designated pilot of Unit 03." The worry in her eye seemed to disappear again.

"I see. It's nice to meet you."

"We've met before," he said with a hint of anger in his voice, mainly over Ikari's statement. "But I don't clearly remember it, so it's nice to meet you again. I'll do my best to serve as your replacement for the time being." The anger was gone again, but hadn't gone unnoticed by the Commander.

"Is there anything else you need?" the Commander asked her. She shook her head a little. "OK. We'll be back tomorrow."

They left, Mitamura falling into step behind Ikari. "You told me I had met her before, but she didn't look familiar at all." The commander continued to walk in silence. "There are a lot of things I don't remember because of my accident, but I'm usually quite good with faces."

"In any case I'd like to go ahead with your re-activation with Unit 00."

"Understood." The way the two men walked, their body language... Any passer-by would think that Ikari was training some kind of replacement. A protege.

---

A week passed.

Shinji sat in school, already bored out of his mind. The old teacher had lectured on nothing but the Second Impact all week. Apparently it was all he taught. He looked around the room, unconsciously looking for Ayanami. He found her in the row closest to the window. She was still in bandages.

'_She looks bored, too; she's just looking out the window_.'

As the bell rang signalling a five minute break period, two girls approached Shinji's desk, much to his surprise. "Ikari-kun, do you have a minute?"

"Uh, well..."

"How come you transferred here when most people are evacuating? Are the rumors about you true?" a blond girl asked curiously.

"Rumors?" he asked quizically.

"Don't play dumb! Isn't it true that you pilot that robot?" they asked in unison. He swallowed deeply as they gazed down at him.

"Well, yea, I am..."

Suddenly the entire classroom erupted. Many students approached Shinji's desk, probing him with a barrage of questions, most of which he had no answers for. Ayanami Rei and Mitamura Kunihiko were the only two students who didn't get up from their desks. Rei continued looking outside, and Kunihiko's head never moved from his desktop.

Only the class rep noticed as an angry-looking student stood near the door. "Suzuhara-kun, there you are! You've missed seven days without any kind of excuse!" she accused over the noise of the others.

"None of your business!" the boy shouted as he made his way towards the center of attention. "Yo, transfer student!" He slammed a hand down on Ikari's desk, who innocently look up.

"What?"

"Outside. Now."

Shinji followed the other boy out to the schoolyard. "Listen up, new guy," the other boy harshly demanded, cracking his knuckles. "My little sister was hurt really badly because of your robot. She's still in the hospital! And my dad and gramps work in **YOUR** lab, so I'm the only one who visits her. I don't mind it at all, but what if she's scarred for life? She'll never be able to live normally!

"Who's fault is that, huh!"

Shinji was surprised. According to Misato, no one had been seriously injured.

"It's **YOUR FAULT**!" he yelled, pointing a finger at Shinji. "She was pinned under a lot of rubble because of your crashin' around! Don't think it makes a difference that the class idolizes you now!"

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Shinji didn't know what else to say.

"You jerk, do you think that cuts it!" Shinji frowned. After all, he hadn't had any training or anything... And everyone would dead if he hadn't done anything...

"So, do you want me to get on my knees and beg, or what?" The boy suddenly stepped back, then swung his fist at Shinji's face. Shinji hit the ground hard, causing dust to rise up into the air. He slowly looked up, finding one of his other classmates holding the violent one back.

"Hey, don't go around hitting our important pilots!" the other one yelled. Shinji wiped the small dribble of blood from the corner of his chin, much to the outrage of the one named Suzuhara.

"So what, do you want a piece of me? Come on!"

"Just a question," Shinji said calmly. "Doesn't it get tiring... being angry all the time?" Once again Suzuhara was held back by the other kid, and this time the rest of the class poured out of the school in Shinji's defense.

"Just remember to watch where you step next time you get in a fight!" Suzuhara screamed as he was dragged away. Once the rest of the class had disappeared into the building, another boy stepped outside and approached Shinji.

"Why didn't you dodge?" he asked. Shinji looked up at him, but his face was obscured by the early afternoon sun.

"Maybe I deserved it," Shinji responded quietly. "It have just made him angrier if I dodged."

"Probably. Here." The tall boy extended an open hand.

"Thanks," he grunted as he was pulled up. "Oh, by the way, I didn't get your name," he realized as he brushed some of the dust off his uniform, but the boy was already walking away. Seeing that image... A tall boy with short hair... Shinji was too shocked to pursue the boy, even after he realized that he was the same one who had been with his father at the NERV hospital.

---

Later than evening...

Inside the entry plug of EVA-00, Mitamura felt uneasy. Ikari's son... Just what kind of person was he?

"Don't think of unneccesary things, it only lowers your scores," Akagi's voice cut through the plug.

"Oh, sorry." He closed his eyes again, concentrating on the EVA. In the observation lab, Akagi sighed just a bit.

'_He's a troublesome kid. Brought here directly by Ikari as a backup... There must be some kind of ulterior motive on Ikari's mind_.' She turned and found Ikari standing over Aoba, looking at some of the readouts. Rei stood in the corner of the room, emotionless as always.

"Rei, it's odd to see someone else in Unit-00, huh?" she asked lightly.

"Somewhat." Akagi's memory traced back to Rei's first activation test with 00, when it had gone out of control with no explanation. Fortunately, it had been unfrozen the day of the third Angel's attack, just in case Shinji failed. Also, by some odd circumstance, the Fourth Children had been brought to NERV HQ only a week earlier from the German base.

'_It's all too damn convenient_,' Akagi thought. '_I need a cigarette._'

-  
End of Chapter 01.


	2. Issues of the Heart

Title: Happenstances   
Supervisor: Silpelit Seven   
Final Genesis Committee   
Disclaimer: I don't own EVA or anything else. I even stole all the words from the dictionary. The storylines are based off the manga alterations, of which I also have no ownership. 

Mitamura sat on the cold bench in the pilot's changing room. In his hands he held the limp plug suit. His fist was clenched tightly around the suit, echoing the anger he felt within.

'_I'm the backup. Basically unnecessary_.'

He sighed loudly. "Aah, I shouldn't worry about such things. I have my place to fill, like everyone else."

"What do you mean?" The voice from beyond the curtain... It was definitely Ayanami Rei. She was so quiet, he hadn't felt her presence. "You said, 'I have my own place'. What did you mean?"

"Oh, just trying to put things into perspective, I guess. Hey, Ayanami-san?"

"...Yes?" Kunihiko dropped the plug suit, finally putting his anger onto the back burner in his mind.

"Commander Ikari said that we'd met before somewhere, but... I can't recall where." He waited for some kind of response before continuing. "I had an accident during an experiment involving EVA Unit 02 in Germany. It was just a couple months ago, but the doctors said I could experience some memory loss. Until now... there was nothing unusual."

"... I don't understand what you are saying." The air smelled heavily of LCL, but for whatever reason it didn't bother Kunihiko as it had in the past. Indeed, that smell which permeated the entry plug and seemed to constantly cling to his skin afterwards. As he spoke with Ayanami, however, it didn't seem so bad.

"Uh... I guess I'm trying to say that I'm sorry I don't remember you. I was also wondering if you recalled meeting me before."

"I do." He opened his mouth, but closed it quickly.

"Well... No, nevermind."

"Did you need a further explanation?" Of course he wanted to know, but something held him back.

"Not right now, but maybe in time I'll ask again. Thank you; see you at school tomorrow."

"Actually..." Rei's voice trailed off. Earlier in the day, the Commander had asked her to become more familiar with the Fourth Children. She thought it was an odd request, but of course she would obey him. "It seems that we live in the same apartment building. I... If you would agree, perhaps I could accompany you."

"Oh, that'd be fine," Mitamura responded without much thought. "I'm still not quite sure if my route is the quickest way to get to the entrance gates."

---

Subcaption 1:  
Hidden Memories

---

Light gently filtered through the open windows of classroom 2-A, First Public School of Tokyo-3.

"Hey, did you hear? That Mitamura guy was seen walking with Ayanami this morning."

"Oh, you mean the silent duo of Class 2-A?"

"Silent duo? Mitamura only sleeps all day long. I heard he's some kind of 'night person'."

"You mean vampire!"

"Or just a narcoleptic."

The chatter of class 2-A's students was more underhanded than usual. After the Angel attack, slowly the class size had started to decrease, with the exception of the class's idol, the pilot Ikari Shinji. However, the interest in such things had waned after Shinji had been tapped of all useful information. Replacement topics had moved into place. Mitamura Kunihiko and Ayanami Rei had come under fire this morning.

"Hi, new kid!" Suzuhara exclaimed as he sat on Ikari's desktop.

"Oh hi, Suzuhara-kun," the smaller boy responded with a nervous grin. "Where's Kensuke?"

"He heard some info about a military exercise on the Atami coastline, so he's there. What's the class all excited about?"

"Um... Oh, I guess Ayanami and Mitamura were spotted walking to school together."

"So?" Touji deadpanned. Shinji had no other response other than a shrug. "They're both pilots like you, right?"

"Yes."

"So, why aren't you defending them? If they are your comrades, as the number one pilot you should stand up for their honor!"

"Hey, I never expected you to say anything so chivalrous," Shinji cautiously stated. He braced himself as Suzuhara froze in place, only to relax again when the boy shrugged.

"It's just a thought, man."

"Hm."

Later that day, Suzuhara pushed Shinji up to the school's ceiling, where a couple students had seen Mitamura retreat. True enough, there he was, leaning his tall frame over the railing just a bit precariously. "Ahem!" Touji cleared his throat in order to gain the other boy's attention. He didn't react at first, but turned just as Suzuhara was opening his mouth again. "Hey, you're an EVA pilot, too, right?" Mitamura nodded blankly.

"Um, I just wanted to say that... Well, some of our classmates were spreading rumors today about you and ... Ayanami, so-"

"About me and Ayanami?" the tall boy repeated thoughtfully, his gaze going past the pair and off into the distance.

"Uh, yea. I probably should have said something to stop them, but I didn't so, ya know..." Shinji trailed off. Curiosity finally peaked when Suzuhara turned around and tried to see what Mitamura was staring at. There wasn't anything unusual, but Ikari followed suit in another vain attempt. "Um... are you OK, Mitamura-san?" he asked as he turned back again.

"Huh?" he replied, shaken out of his trance. "Oh, yes, I was just feeling a bit strange."

"A strange feeling? Maybe a hot girl is talking about you!" Suzuhara exclaimed, looking on the bright and slightly perverted side of things.

"I'm scared," Mitamura blurted. His face was blank again, showing no signs of embarassment. "Ikari-san, maybe you should call your guardian to check in. This feeling... I've felt it before."

"Huh? When?" Shinji inquired.

"The day you arrived in Tokyo-3." The third Angel, the true face of EVA-01, Ayanami Rei... These images flashed in Mitamura's head.

"Ayanami? What is it?" Shinji asked as the girl appeared on the rooftop as well.

"We've just received an emergency call. Both of you, follow me to headquarters."

---

Happenstances   
Chapter 02: Issues of the Heart

---

The fourth Angel was defeated.

Mitamura Kunihiko leaned his back against the lockers. 'Once again, I wasn't needed. Why... After all my training, all I can do now is train more? Why couldn't I just stay in Germany?' Suddenly, he remembered the lecture he had received from Ikari after the defeat of the third Angel... He turned his head and focused on Ikari. The other boy was totally still, his head hanging low. They both knew that NERV's security was waiting outside to detain Shinji. After all, he had obeyed a direct command from his superior officer.

"Ikari-san, you were successful in beating our opponent," Kunihiko stated calmly.

"I know,... but I... It's not a big deal. I won."

"However, you may have been killed. How can you make such abritrary decisions?" Shinji's eyes widened slightly, remembering those exact words he had spoken to Misato when she changed his place of residence.

"It doesn't matter," he sighed as he walked out the door.

Two days passed.

Ikari Shinji sat in the holding cell inside of NERV, patiently waiting for the unavoidable appearance of his commanding officer and legal guardian, Katsuragi Misato. '_All I could do is run and hide... but I'm back here again_.'

His thoughts were interrupted as the door suddenly slid open to reveal a quiet and morose Misato. "Welcome back."

"Um... yea..." was all he could say.

"Does it feel good to run away? Did you accomplish anything in the past two days?" she asked in a low voice. "Let me ask you something... Do you want to be an EVA pilot?" Shinji's eyes sharpened, and his fist tightened at the proposal.

"It doesn't matter to me. I said before that I don't pilot because I want to... but because I have to. Even if I said no, my opinion doesn't really have any weight, right? I'm the only one who can pilot Unit 01... and everyone would be in trouble if I didn't pilot it," he quietly admitted. "I do it because everyone tells me to-"

"I'm not asking about that, I'm asking what YOU think," she asked as she crossed her arms. "Shinji... If you don't want to, that's OK. You can go back to your uncle's. Rei will be healed soon, and Kunihiko should be able to pilot Unit 01." He was a bit surprised that she wouldn't try to change his mind at all... In fact, she seemed to be pushing him to leave... "It's for your own good. You'd wind up dead soon enough," she continued in an even and controlled tone. "Besides... An insecure pilot like you is nothing but trouble for the rest of us."

Shinji's shocked face was hurtful to Misato. She had failed as a leader and a guardian. "It hurts to lose a pilot, of course. We'll just overwrite Unit 01's personal data for Kunihiko." She went to the door and turned to see him one more time. "I'm sorry that we asked too much of you. Just forget about this place and about EVA. Go back to your old life. Goodbye."

Shinji began to call her name, but the door just slid shut. He was left alone again, abandoned. He stared at the door in shock, while on the other side, Misato tried to shrug off the sorrow she felt.

---

At school the next day, Suzuhara and Aida approached Mitamura, having learned of Shinji's departure. "Hey, why is Shinji leaving Tokyo-3?" they asked in unison.

"He said he was done being a pilot and wished to return to his uncle's place," the seated Mitamura explained.

"Do you know which train platform he'll be leaving from?" Suzuhara inquired desperately.

"I'm sorry, I don't. If you were to find his guardian, though, I'm sure she would know."

---

"The train is now arriving on track two. Please step back behind the white line," the recorded voice stated. Ikari Shinji waited patiently, accompanied by two NERV security officers. As the train rolled into position, Ikari was as morose as ever.

"What's wrong; get in," one of the officers commanded after the train had been stopped for several moments.

"Shinji!" It was Misato's voice. So she had come to at least see him off! "You guys can leave. I'll take it from here," she said, sending the men away. Shinji noticed that she was carrying Penpen.

"Misato..."

"I forgot something!" she exclaimed. "Penpen... well... He was being used in experiments at my old job... They were finished with him and were about to put him to sleep. Why do you think I saved him? Because I felt sorry for him... and... I've always lived alone. I thought it would be nice to have someone who would be there, waiting for me. I thought it might be nice to have a family," she explained. "I'm not the kind of person who's got it together enough to live with a stranger out of sympathy, or because its my job."

"M-misato..." He began to break down into tears. "I... I don't want to go back where I was..."

As the train departed, Misato wrapped her arms around Shinji's neck. "Let's go home together," she said, choking back her own tears.

---

"So, the Third Children decided to stay here and pilot afterall, huh?" Mitamura asked. He looked across the Commander's desk, awaiting Ikari's next move on the Mah-jongg board.

"That's right."

"Good. I got the distinct impression that EVA-01 doesn't like me very much." Ikari's eyebrows raised ever-so-slightly.

"Is that so?"

"I don't know... Maybe. I've just been getting a lot of new sensations lately. I can't explain it," the younger man sighed.

"Are you troubled because a need for your presence had not yet arisen?" probed the Commander. "As I explained previously, there will be a time when you will become necessary. Rei isn't ready for combat as of now, and the Third had already encountered personal issues."

"You mean your son?"

"My son... He is the only one who can pilot Unit 01 to its fullest extent. No matter how it seems on the outside, NERV and mankind needs him to be the pilot."

"He only seeks your approval."

"Hmph." Ikari placed a winning piece down, finally ending Mitamura's first game. "As expected, your scores with Unit 01 were slightly lower than those of Unit 00. I've been pushing the Americans to quickly finish Unit 03, but the committee is standing in our way once again. For now you will continue co-piloting with Rei. Your harmonics are very good, but you need to work on raising your synchro-rate. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

---

Later that evening, an impromptu homecoming party was held for Ikari Shinji. His friends and fellow pilots, along with Ritsuko, came together in celebration.

"No, I'm serious Ikari, hit me!" Suzuhara exclaimed after a quick meal.

"What? Are you OK?" Ikari queried nervously.

Suzuhara's voice quieted. "I didn't know nothin' about you, but I knocked you down, even though I knew you'd saved our lives. And... I don't like to owe anyone! So I wanted to make things even this way."

"Uhhh..." Ikari deadpanned. "Well, just once maybe."

"Good! Don't hold back!" Touji responded as he braced himself. Shinji pulled a fist and readied a hit, but just sighed. "What's wrong?"

"I think I'd rather have you owe me one," Shinji slyly said.

"**WHAT!**"

"Things will be more fun this way, I think."

"Why you! I'll knock some sense into that thick head!"

Misato stood back along with Ritsuko, watching as the two boys tormented each other. "You know, he's much cuter when he smiles," Ritsuko noted.

"This is the first time I've seen it. His smile, I mean. Now, if we could fix those other two..." Misato trailed off as the two older women glanced over into Misato's living room. Rei silently read her book. She didn't appear very interested in the party's happenings, although she seemed to steal gazes at Shinji once in a great while. Kunihiko appeared to have fallen asleep in Misato's personal recliner.

"Rei never shows her smile to anyone but the Commander," Ritsuko sighed. "Oh well. I knew Shinji would come back."

"You knew? How's that?"

"The first self-motivated act of growing children is to rebel against their guardian. It's a validation of the child's existance, as well as a test of the guardian," the doctor explained. "I think you passed, since he returned."

"What the hell do you know?" Misato asked in a slurred manner. A small pyramid of beer cans was forming on the table. "Don't bitch me out in my own home!"

"I'm just speaking statistically," Ritsuko nonchalantly responded, having gotten used to Misato's drunken outbursts many years ago.

"You're a strange one, you know."

"Yea, I know. Anyway, were you able to review that data I sent you?"

"You're asking me this now?" Misato groaned. "Yea, I did. It just shows how little Mankind really understands." Misato hazily remembered the connection between Angels and humans... A 99.89 DNA match, despite being made of a different kind of matter...

"Hey, Ritsuko..." The two women look up to find three young boys leaning towards them from across the table.

"Um, what is it, Shinji... boys?" Ritsuko asked as she recoiled just a little.

"Well, we just noticed that Mitamura-san seems to... well,..." Shinji trailed off as he tried to put it into an acceptable form.

"He's always asleep!" Touji spat out, finishing Shinji's thought.

"What do you mean?" Misato asked, suddenly interested.

"Here!" Kensuke edged closer to the woman. The jealousy in Touji's eyes burned out of control as Misato looked back on some recorded tape from Aida's omnipresent camera. "As you can see, he sleeps all day at school."

"Our classmates spread rumors that he's a vampire or a narcoleptic," Shinji admitted. "So we were wondering if there was a reason for his sleepiness."

"Well," Misato thought, placing a finger on her chin. "He does train nearly seventy hours every week, in addition to never missing an hour of class. His grades are excellent, so he must also complete all of his studies at home. There's also the issue of his address..."

"His address?" Touji inquired.

"He lives in the same apartment building as Rei. There is always construction going on there. If he is a light sleeper, he would be constantly awoken if he tried to sleep at home. He would need every spare moment of sleep he can get, because I have never heard him yawn, and he has never filed any sort of complaint with NERV. Therefore, school is probably his last sanctuary," Misato explained.

"So, he is some kind of night person, in a sense," Akagi finished as they all gazed at the sleeping form of Mitamura Kunihiko.

-  
End of Chapter 02.


	3. Closeness

Title: Happenstances   
Supervisor: Silpelit Seven 

Author's Note: gunman, thank you very much for the helpful reviews! It's extremely hard for me to judge my own writing most of the time. Since I have all the ideas in my head, sometimes I see (in my head) what others can't because I don't write it correctly. I really appreciate the time and thought you put into your comments! The reason I chose to omit the battles thus far is because they happen just as they do in the anime. I felt it would be boring to simply rehash events that everyone already knows. As for pairings, I have some things in the works which I cannot reveal.

While a group of their classmates played baseball during P.E., the usual trio of Ikari, Suzuhara and Aida was joined today by Mitamura. They lay against an embankment in that order, enjoying the afternoon sun. "Hey, it's unusual to see you outside with us, Mitamura-kun," Kensuke observed lazily. "Usually you are granted special access to the weight room, right? Ah, it must be nice to live the privileged life of an EVA pilot."

"It's not just that. I don't like team sports," Mitamura yawned. "I get frustrated with my incompetance."

"Hey, don't all the girls have such great bodies?" Touji stated for no particular reason. The four boys tilted their heads to get a better view of the girls of their class, who were currently occupied in the school's swimming pool. Several of them noticed and promptly called out in disgust. Three of the boys casually rested their bodies once again, but one was left staring at a certain girl. "Oh, great Ikari, what are you looking at?"

"Or rather... 'who'?" Kensuke added mischeviously.

"Maybe Horaki? She sure does have a nice body," Touji asked as he moved over to above Shinji's shoulder. Ayanami Rei, the object of Shinji's intrigue, turned her head and noticed the boys. Ikari took action, placing two fingers up Touji's nose. Shinji forced his captive up to his feet and waved at the amassing group of laughing girls.

However...

"She didn't smile at all," Shinji sighed as he released the infuriated Suzuhara.

"What the hell are you thinking!" he yelled. Ikari was caught up in his thoughts, though. "Ikari, look at me!" The other boys cried out in laughter now, some saying some things which were a bit uncalled for. The girls and boys eventually settled down, but Suzuhara did not.

'_Maybe she's some kind of robot._'

"Just how long can you avoid my yelling!" Touji shouted as Shinji finally returned to reality. "You idiot!"

"Hey, now I don't owe you that punch. We're even," Ikari stated lightly as Touji dropped to the ground. "W-what is it?"

"You got me back... By embarassing me in front of all the girls..." he murmured as he rolled on the ground. Unexpectedly, Shinji was called by the P.E. teacher to play baseball, so Touji soon got over his shock and rejoined the other two boys. "So who was he oogling?" he asked as he grabbed Kensuke's camera.

"Be careful, Touji!"

"He was looking at Ayanami," Kunihiko stated matter-of-factly. "I thought it was pretty clear."

"Oh, at Ayanami?" Kensuke asked excitedly. "Is there something we don't know? A clandestine love, perhaps? Ah, a developing romance between two of the Evangelion pilots!"

"Don't go so far as to say that," Touji interrupted, holding his chin in an attempt to look cunning. "I'd guess that he is only beginning to realize that he has 'those' kinds of feelings for Ayanami. We need to help him nurture this connection!"

"I wouldn't do that." Kensuke and Touji's scheming was brought to a sudden halt. "He is probably just curious about her. Her biological and historical files at NERV are blank. I wonder about her as well."

"She's attended school here with us since seventh grade," Kensuke explained. "She's always been quiet and private. We only found out she was a pilot after Shinji came to school here. Beyond that much, I can't help."

"He was trying to make her smile," Touji said as it dawned in his head. "He was trying to get some reaction from her!"

"But he didn't fair any better than anyone else has," Kensuke added. "Oh well."

"I was also wondering... Why are you two Shinji's friends? Weren't you angry with him after your sister was injured, Suzuhara-san?" Mitamura asked quietly after the previous conversation had died. The three of them turned again to watch Shinji as he stood in left field.

"Well, we saw him fight the fourth Angel. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it," Touji responded in a low tone.

"We snuck out of our shelter so we could see the Angel and EVA for ourselves," Aida continued. "In the process of defended his position, Shinji's EVA was tossed into the air. He landed really close to where we were standing... In fact he couldn't move without crushing us, so he let us into the entry plug. Our brainwaves messed up his concentration."

"You were allowed into the entry plug during a battle?" Kunihiko asked in a reserved yet surprised way.

"Yeah, Shinji did that on his own," Touji explained. "Misato-san told him to retreat, but he disobeyed her and attacked instead! I guess he was detained for a while, and then he ran away... I kinda feel like its our fault..."

"So, that's why he left?"

"Yea. He said Misato told him to leave, that he wasn't stable enough to pilot safely. He kinda freaked out and walked around the city for days. He ended up out in the mountains outside of town, and fortunately I was camping out there as well," Kensuke said with a sigh. "The next morning he was taken back by some agents from NERV's Section 2. We heard he was discharged from NERV."

"I remember you asked me where he was leaving from," Kunihiko interjected.

"Right. Somehow we managed to pick up Misato's trail and followed her. We saw her crying as the train pulled up, so we decided not to interrupt. We held back and watched. I wasn't surprised when the train pulled away, but they were left behind," Touji finished. "Because of those experiences, how could we push him away when he returned?"

"He's actually a funny guy, sometimes. Especially when he uses Touji as a means!" Kensuke said with a wide smile.

---

Subcaption 1:  
Tomodachi, Friend, Tovarisch

---

Cage #6.

In silence and surrounded by locks and restraints, EVA-00 and EVA-01 faced each other above the LCL which went up to their chests. Ritsuko had advised Shinji to inspect the new changes which had been implemented on NERV's entry plugs. In addition the reactivation test of EVA-00 was coming up the next day. The doctor had also explained that it had gone out of control during the last test, which had caused all of Rei's now-healed injuries.

If the EVA were to go out of control again, it was up to Shinji to stop it.

As he sat in the quiet space, his attention was drawn once again to Ayanami Rei. She, too, was looking over her entry plug as it sat ready for insertion. His curiosity grew as his father and a plain-clothed Mitamura approached her. She quickly stepped off the plug to greet the Commander. She seemed oddly... natural... as she spoke with him. Her usual cold self disappeared, her normal stiffness drained away.

His father also seemed to loosen up around her. His eyes reflected a warmth that startled Shinji.

'_Father... He would never look at me in such a way. What is up between my father and her, anyway?_'

As Gendo walked away, Ayanami's eyes watched him leave. Mitamura and Ayanami exchanged a few words before the tall boy left. "Shinji, good work. You're done for today," Ritsuko's voice echoed as the LCL de-electrolyzed. The walk to the changing room was quiet and sticky, as usual. His shower was hot and short, as usual.

Consequenty, he jumped just a little when he found Mitamura sitting on the bench, staring at his white plug suit as it hung in his locker. "M-mitamura-san! I didn't hear you come in," Shinji stuttered.

"That happens sometimes." Shinji got dressed a little quicker than usual, even though he didn't feel any type of pressure from Kunihiko.

"Is something bothering you?" Shinji asked quietly as he laced up his shoes.

"I don't have a purpose here," the boy replied in a direct way. "Tomorrow, Ayanami-san will successfully activate Unit 00. You've decided to continue piloting Unit 01. My chance of effectively piloting has greatly gone down."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for things to turn out this way..."

"Don't blame yourself at all. That has nothing to do with it. Oh... I have something for you." Kunihiko stood and reached into his pant pocket. He pulled out a card and handed it down to Shinji. "It's your permanent I.D. card. Katsuragi-san forgot it on her desk, once again. She called me and asked me to give it to you."

"Oh, thank you." Shinji examined the card for a while before putting it into his pocket. When he looked back up, Kunihiko was handing him another card. "Is this a duplicate?"

"No, it belongs to Ayanami-san." Shinji's eyes widened a little as he gently took the card.

"Why are you giving it to me?"

"Dr. Akagi also failed to give Rei her renewed I.D. card before she left the Geofront for an important meeting. So she put that responsibility on me, and I chose to give it to you. You're interested in Ayanami-san, correct?"

"How do you mean that? '_Interested_'?" Shinji asked nervously.

"You want to know more about her. You want to know her more closely. I thought that you may want this opportunity to visit her home. By this time she'll have already started on her way.

"I'm actually kind of tired..."

"You have one day before her old card expires. Ikari-san, I am giving you this chance as your friend."

"My friend?" Shinji asked slowly. The two boys silently examined each other for a moment.

"You're surprised?"

"Well, I always see you with my father, and he isn't exactly rushing to be closer to me, so I thought..." He trailed off when met with Mitamura's hard gaze. Even through his glasses, the boy had a rough edge about his face.

"We're not as close as you'd think," Kunihiko rebutted in an equally rough voice, eyes falling downward. "I'm more of the Commander's 'go for' guy. At least then I have some purpose for being here. You seem sad... when you talk about your father."

"He left me with my uncle when I was just a kid. I've never really been close to him."

"I see. Don't think badly of me because I am seen around him often. The same goes for Ayanami. And... if you wish, I can accompany you to her apartment tomorrow morning, since it'll be Sunday. You don't have testing until later in the evening, right?"

"Yes, I'd really appreciate that!" Shinji exclaimed, his eyes brightening greatly at the proposal.

"That's what friends are for." The two young men shared a peaceful smile before they parted ways.

---

Happenstances   
Chapter 03: Closeness

---

The rising sun hurt Kunihiko's eyes. He was still tired from waking so early. His phone rang at seven A.M.: Shinji's number. The two met for breakfast at a small coffee shop. Through small talk and chit-chat, the two of them became more acquainted with each other. In the back of his mind, Kunihiko was also forming a somewhat underhanded plan.

"So, here we are."

"I see what you meant by the construction," Shinji said over the consistent banging of large equipment.

"Sorry I got lost. I'm still not used to Tokyo-3 yet," Kunihiko admitted.

"It's OK! I'm a little nervous, so I don't mind waiting," Shinji said, his voice just a little shaky.

"Why? All you're doing is delivering her card. If you wish to stay, however-"

"No! Um, why would you say that?" Kunihiko shrugged as he used a key to enter the building, holding the door open for Shinji. The two silently ascended four flights of stairs since the elevators were still out of order. "Her apartment is number 402, right?"

"That's right." Ikari took a deep breath and opened the staircase's door, stepping out onto the floor. He bravely took a few steps towards 402 before looking back. His heart dropped...

Kunihiko wasn't behind him.

Shinji turned back towards 402, only to find Ayanami waiting at the doorway. "Oh, Ayanami!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing off the empty hall. "Good morning!"

"Why are you here?" she asked in her normal tone. He slowly approached her doorway, groping around in his pocket for her card.

"Well, you see... Um, Dr. Akagi was supposed to give you this card... Uh, your I.D. card! It was renewed!" he explained nervously. "How... Were you leaving? You appeared at the door suddenly." Shinji was too nervous to notice Rei's eyes narrow slightly.

"No particular reason."

"Um, I see..." He trailed off, anxiety beginning to overcome surprise.

"Is there anything else?"

"Oh!" Ayanami's quiet voice was enough to snap Shinji back to reality. "I, uh... That is, not really..." His gaze drifted downwards towards his feet, but snapped back up after seeing a third pair of shoes. An old pair of beat-up, skater-inspired shoes which must have belonged to...

"Ikari-san and I were just going to get some coffee. He mentioned that, since we were already delivering your card, we should invite you as well. So, what is your decision, Ayanami-san? Does coffee sound OK?" Kunihiko pressured gently. Not only was Shinji taken aback by Kunihiko's sudden reappearance, but also by the carefree smile on his face. Somehow he erased the sleep-deprived, morose look he usually wore, replacing it with a face which could have been any happy teenager's.

"I do not like coffee," Ayanami replied after a moment of consideration. Shinji's shoulders visibly slumped.

"Seriously?" Kunihiko groaned. "But-"

"However, some tea would be nice," the young woman interjected.

"Excellent! Do you need some time to get ready?"

"I will only need a few minutes." The pale girl walked back into her apartment, leaving the door open. Mitamura placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder, and the two boys entered the apartment. Kunihikou leaned against the wall just inside the entrance while Shinji explored further. The first impression which grew in both boys' minds was the uncleanliness of the apartment.

Faded footprints were visible in the dust and dirt which lay stagnant on the floor. The morning sun peaked past the edges of the musty curtains, which were fully drawn closed. The apartment was a single room with an adjoined kitchen area that looked as if it had never been cleaned. A single bed, one dresser, a chair and a small refrigerator were the only furniture. Her bed was unmade; the sheets were tossed aside and wrinkled. Several bottles of pain killers were stacked on the fridge's top, accompanied by a single glass of water. A bag full of trash set next to the dresser. Bloody piles of used gauze were kept uncerimoniously in a cardboard box. Various clothing was strewn about the room.

Once the fact that Ayanami wasn't concerned with her home's appearance set in, Shinji was drawn to the dresser and the pair of glasses which set on its top. He picked them up gently; one lense was missing while the other was cracked.

'_Are these Ayanami's?_' he wondered silently. On the inside of one arm was an name. Ikari Gendo. '_They are my father's?_'

Kunihiko cleared his throat loudly, signalling to Shinji the approach of Ayanami. He turned slowly to find her staring at the glasses he held in his hands. Shinji looked down at them as well, then back at Rei. "I noticed they are my father's," he explained, laughing nervously for no obvious reason. She stepped forward and grabbed them out of his hands, causing him to recoil a bit.

She looked down at the glasses again, her eyes softening marginally. "You're close to my father... Aren't you?" The girl sighed before placing the spectacles back on the dresser. "Um, Ayanami... ?"

"Let's get some coffee and tea," she stated flatly as she walked towards the apartment's door.

'_She's angry with me. I didn't mean anything by it..._'

"Yo, Ikari. Let's go," Mitamura said in a commanding tone. "You don't want to get left behind in Ayanami's apartment, do you?"

"Oh, uh, no! I'm coming!"

Even the two boys had just come from the coffee shop, they now found themselves returning. As the trio left the apartment complex, leaving the monotonous booming of construction behind, Shinji began to wonder if Kunihiko had been planning this series of events.

'_Now I understand why he asked me not to eat much. If I'd only known we would be eating brunch with Rei!_'

-  
End of Chapter 03.

Additional author's note: Centurious, I owe you for teaching me a new word. I went ahead and added it to the subcaption's title for you. Thanks for the words of encouragement! I really appreciate it. Also, the pace of the story slowed down greatly in this chapter. There are only three scenes, but they are somewhat longer than most previous ones. I'm trying to keep the word count under control and constant so the story will seem to flow quickly and releases can be spaced evenly. That's all!

Warmest regards,  
Silpelit7


	4. Save or Be Saved

Title: Happenstances   
Supervisor: Silpelit7 

Author's note: So, finally something besides praise. Excellent. gunman, feel free to be critical! You're stuck as my #1 reviewer now. If you're interested in pre-reading the releases before they appear here, definitely email me. Also, there appears to have been some confusion about Mitamura looking very similar to Shinji. This is my fault, and it will be rectified in this chapter.

---

"We will now commence the re-activation test of EVA Unit 00."

The bleach white walls which surrounded the orange EVA resonated the announcement. The Commander, his Vice, Project-E Technical Supervisor Akagi Ritsuko, and Operations Manager Katsuragi Misato waited anxiously. The technicians all began to busily peck at their keyboards as various screens jumped to life.

"Rei, are you ready?" Ikari asked slowly. Her image, which was projected through the plug's camera system, was unmoving.

"Yes, sir." Her voice, too, was solid.

"Shift format to phase 2!" Akagi stated. Shinji watched and tried to keep his face cold. He was nervous...

'_Why am I so worried about someone else?_' he wondered silently as the activation continued. '_Is it because of what happened today? For once she didn't seem so cold. Eating tea, talking with Mitamura and myself... She almost seemed like a normal, shy girl. But she thinks so highly of my father, while I... I..._'

Shinji stole at glance at NERV's Commander, who intently watched the progress as the list items began to climb downwards toward the absolute borderline. '_I absolutely cannot stand him._'

"Borderline cleared!" Lieutenant Ibuki exclaimed with relief heavy in her voice. "Unit 00 has been activated." No sooner than those words had been spoken did a phone ring. The Vice Commander picked it up, but quickly slammed it back down again.

"Ikari! There's been an unidentified flying object seen headed this way." The younger man wasted no time pondering over the news.

"So, the fifth one... Abort the test! All personnel, level one battle stations!" Ikari commanded.

"Can we use Unit 00?" Fuyutsuki asked.

"No, she's not really for battle yet. What's Unit 01's status?"

"It can be ready in 380 seconds!" Akagi exclaimed.

"Good. Get ready to move out." As the bridge staff and other technicians hustled out of the room, the Commander's gaze found a prone Shinji. "What's the problem? Move out!"

'_He can't even wish me_ "good luck" _or say_ "do your best"

"Yes, sir." It was all he could say. As he ran to the changing room, he was plagued by such regrets.

Only minutes later, everyone had settled into their positions in the Announcement Room. "Target is now over Lake Ashino!" The main holoscreen flashed on, displaying the image of the fifth Angel. It was a dark blue diamond which seemed to float by some unknown means over the land. It was a strange sight against the country scenery and cloudless sky.

Shinji awaited as Unit 01 stood on the launch pad, ready for battle. "EVA Unit 01, launch!" Misato's shouted. Shinji swallowed hard as the G-forces affected his body. No matter how many times he practiced fighting, the thought of facing off against an Angel was still frightening.

By this time the Angel had reached the edge of Tokyo-3, coming to a slow halt. "I'm getting a high-energy reaction from inside the target!" Aoba shouted as warning signs popped up all over his console.

"What!" Ritsuko asked in shock.

"The energy is acceleration in the periphery, merging into a single point!"

"No, it couldn't be... a particle beam?" Misato shouted. EVA-01 reached the surface just as she realized what was about to happen. "No, recall Unit 01 now! Shinji, move!"

Shinji tried to comprehend his orders as the beam pierced out of the Angel's body directly towards EVA-01. He had enough time to yelp before the weapon hit his unit, which was still held in place by the locking elevator.

The pain which Shinji felt... was too horrible to imagine.

---

Subcaption 1:  
The Toughest Heartbeat

---

Mitamura Kunihiko was caught between ecstacy and heartache. After EVA-01 had been recalled into the Geofront, Shinji had been quickly rushed into the emergency ward. His heart had stopped beating for seventeen seconds, but he was saved by the plug suit's built-in life systems. Captain Katsuragi had rushed off to check the Third Children's condition.

The Angel, rather than blasting its way into the Geofront, had lowered a kind of drill into the surface. By midnight it would pierce into the Geofront from its position directly above Central Dogma. Mitamura felt lost in the shuffle. After all, he had no real place in the current situation. He was merely an observer. Because of this, he had decided to simply remove himself from everything. He tried in vain to take his mind off things by getting a hair cut. Shorter and shorter the blade got, until a military-style shave was all that remained. He slightly regretted the decision afterwards, but felt that it was of no consequence.

---

Six hours later... 1700.

Shinji had not yet recovered from his unconscious state. Although he had been examined and found to be mentally undamaged, the stress of such an event had taken an heavy toll on his soul. Mitamura was awoken from a nap by his ringing phone. It was the Commander's number.

"Yes, sir?"

"It is time. Get ready." Mitamura's still-sleepy brain didn't quite understand the commander's words.

"What do you mean?"

"The Third Children has not recovered. You have been designated as Unit 00's pilot for this mission."

"OK." The line closed. Kunihiko was lost somewhere else. Finally... His time had come! Now would be his chance to prove his worth to everyone, to all those who wondered why there was a Fourth Children. No longer would he sit and watch as everyone else fought to save Mankind.

Minutes later he appeared in the cage and was met by Dr. Akagi. "Are you nervous?" she asked casually.

"No, not really."

"That may change. Get into the entry plug; activation is scheduled for 1800."

"Right!"

Misato walked up besides Ritsuko as the tall boy literally ran towards the plug. "He sure seems excited," the doctor sighed.

"Are you sure he can do it? His synchro-rates are relatively low."

"But his harmonics are amazing. You've seen the numbers. There's no explaining it. The enthusiasm he has for piloting far surpasses our two other pilots. The Commander has high hopes for that boy."

"He might die. Did you tell him that much?" Katsuragi asked coldly.

"He hasn't been briefed yet. He's jumping in without asking any questions, without any concern for himself."

"Just as the Commander said he would." The pair stood, looking up at the prone form of Unit 00. "If he wants to prove himself so badly, why didn't he just speak up before? It was obvious that Shinji was reluctant to pilot."

"Doesn't that seem rather selfish? I have to go; I'd suggest you brief him personally. Closely watch his reactions. You don't know him very well, so this is a good chance for you to get an general impression of his personality."

"What do you mean?"

Ritsuko raised a single brow before turning and walking away. "He's an interesting kid," she explained over her shoulder. Misato frowned, trying to understand why the Commander and Ritsuko were so caught up in this kid... Especially when Shinji was the one who had shouldered all of the load thus far.

---

Happenstances   
Chapter 04: Save or Be Saved

---

At 1805 EVAs 00 and 01 were launched. Kunihiko had a bit of trouble walking at first, but quickly adjusted to the feel of an actual Evangelion, rather than a simulation. He had trained for nearly three years for these moments.

Kensuke and Touji had snuck out of their shelters, again, to see the EVA once more. As television reports blared warnings of the imminent nationwide power outage, Kensuke tired of the repetitive messages. "Alright already, we know! Jeez!" he complained.

"Hey, Kensuke, are you sure this is the right time?" The two boys stood on a bridge which provided them with a great view of the supposed launch site. "We need to be back at the shelter pretty soon."

"I memorized the data I saw on my dad's screen. This is the right time." Suddenly, alarms started ringing out from the mountains just outside the city. The sound of giant mechanical things grinding against each other followed. "Oh, here it comes!"

The purple and green EVA-01 rose majestically out of the mountainside on a huge elevator, taking its first steps into the night a few ticks later. It paused, seeming to wait for something. Then the alarms rang again, and the orange EVA-00 was revealed, much to the delight of Kensuke.

"Ah, that's Unit 00! Beautiful! I wonder if Ayanami or Mitamura is accompanying him?" Of course they both assumed that Shinji was inside EVA-01, like always.

"Go kick some ass!" Touji yelled as he threw a fist in the air.

---

EVA-01 and EVA-00 reach their destination at the exact scheduled time. "That positron cannon there is the only weapon which is predicted to be able to pierce the AT Field of the target from a distance," Misato explained to the pilots. "However, it is only a prototype and isn't meant for field use. Plus we threw it together rather quickly. The shield," which was currently being held by Unit 00, "was pulled from the bottom of the STS rocket. It's covered with an ultra-electromagnetic coating which is supposed to last seventeen seconds of the enemy's beam.

"Rei will be the gunner." The girl's normally cold eyes shown no more emotion than usual.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Kunihiko will handle defense in Unit 00." Misato noticed an unusual aura of alertness which she had never seen in the boy. Standing head and shoulders above Rei, it was obvious that he was really quite tall. Just under two meters, she recalled from his file... which she had recently reviewed. "Anyway, this is because Rei's synchro-rates are higher, and we need absolute, precision control."

"I understand," the Fourth stated.

"Rei, because positrons are affected by the earth's gravity, the shot won't fire in a straight line. Don't forget that fact."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't think about it too much, though, since the computers are programmed to make the necessary corrections," Misato added quickly. There was a long moment of silence as the two women waited for the question... which never came. "Also, if Rei misses... there is a twenty second gap while the barrel cools down. Then the charge has to be replaced."

"And the shield lasts seventeen." Kunihiko's voice was steadfast, to the surprise of Misato.

'_Am I just used to Shinji's misgivings?_' she wondered.

"Right," Ritsuko responded after Misato stayed silent. "We expect the enemy to counterattack at some point. Hopefully, the counterattack takes place after that three second gap."

"It's time. Both of you, get ready."

"Understood," the two pilots stated in unison.

---

Both Mitamura and Ayanami sat suspended in the air on the improvised EVA cages as the lights of Japan went out.

"Ayanami-san, do you think we'll succeed?" His voice wasn't unsure at all; it was simply a question.

"Why do you say that?"

"To answer a question with another question... Makes it hard to respond sometimes. I'm not afraid of being killed here, so long as you make your shot and defeat our enemy." Ayanami slowly looked over towards her counterpart, but he didn't really notice. "If I died defending you, I think it would be OK. I think you understand what it means to be connected to people, to have a purpose, ya know?"

"To pilot... That is my purpose. It feels like I was born to pilot EVA."

"Really?"

"Yes. If I stopped piloting, I would have nothing else. It would be like death for me."

"Ayanami..." He finally looked away from the full moon towards the girl. In the moonlight he found her looking particularly... beautiful. "I understand what you're saying, but... If we make it through this, I'd like to help you find some purpose outside of the EVA."

Rei looked away from the boy, blushing ever-so lightly. The softness and caring in his voice... Only the Commander had ever spoken that way to her. "It's time to go."

"Right." They both stood and headed towards the EVAs.

"Mitamura-san..." He stopped suddenly. "I was meant... to be the defender. Ikari should have been in the position I find myself forced into. I was ready to die, just like you are... But you won't die. I won't miss."

"Ayanami..."

"Do your best." She disappeared into the entry plug.

---

Meanwhile, Ikari Shinji suddenly awakened from his short-term coma. Looking at the clock next to his hospital bed, it was already almost midnight. He pressed the call button soon afterwards. A nurse appeared and turned on the lights.

"Oh, you're finally awaken, Ikari-kun," she said in a kind tone.

"Excuse me, but could I have my cell phone? I need to call my guardian-"

"The Captain is away from headquarters on a mission."

"A... a mission?" The memory of being attack hit Shinji like a brick wall. "They're fighting that Angel right now!" The nurse checked her watch.

"Not quite yet. The mission commences at midnight."

"But that's only a half hour from now!" Shinji exclaimed. He paused for a moment before jumping out of bed and grabbing his school uniform, which was neatly hanging across the room.

"Ikari-kun, please wait for the doctor to examine you before leaving!"

"I can't! I need to know what's going on!"

Fuyutsuki watched with reserved anxiety from Central Dogma at the progress of Operation Yashima. A small staff of relief bridge workers accompanied him in the huge control room. The Geofront was running on reserve power, since all other power sources had been diverted towards the attack. He was surprised when the elevator began bringing someone up to the command level. Ikari Shinji, face as serious and worried as ever, burst towards Kouzou's chair.

"Vice Commander!" he panted as he doubled over for a minute, catching his breath.

"Shinji-kun, are you alright?"

"What's going on!"

"Eh?"

"The Angel! Where's Misato... and Ayanami and Mitamura! Where's Dr. Akagi and my father?" The Vice Commander pointed towards the main screen. Shinji's eyes widened as he surveyed the situation.

"This is Operation Yashima, devised by Captain Katsuragi to defeat the fifth Angel using a long-range, high-power attack." Unit 01 was on its belly on the ground, looking down the sight of a huge gun. Unit 00 stood behind a mountain, holding some kind of shield in its hands.

"Unit 01! Who's the pilot?"

"Ayanami Rei." Shinji's eyes buldged even more.

"So that means-"

"Yes. Mitamura Kunihiko is piloting Unit 00, as a backup. Using that shield, he'll defend Rei's position as she fires the positron cannon."

"But if she misses...?"

"The enemy will definitely counterattack. The shield can stand approximately seventeen seconds against the enemy's beam. If the first shot misses, it takes twenty seconds before a second can be attempted."

As Shinji added up the difference in his mind, the clock struck midnight.

000.

Shinji listened in horror as the countdown to attack began. Unit 00 came out from its hiding place and took its place straddling over the cannon and Unit 01. As the cannon powered up, the young Ikari couldn't help but wonder.

'_What if Kunihiko and Rei... are killed... because I wasn't there? It's my job to pilot Unit 01. If they die... It'll be my fault._'

"High energy reaction spotted within the target!" Ibuki's voice rang out over the speakers. On the opposite side of the huge screen, the Angel began to glow on its leading edge.

"No, it's going to attack first!" Shinji cried out. Fuyutsuki furrowed his brow. The end of the world could be just moments away...

"Two... one..."

"Fire!" Misato's voice rang out.

Shinji, slack-jawed and helpless, watched as the particle cannon fired its blue beam towards the Angel. At the exact same moment, the fifth Angel fired its own beam towards EVA-01 and EVA-00. The two beams raced towards each other and met over the lake. Rather than speeding onwards, the odd nature of particle beams cause them to interact with each other. They became tangled and paused for just a second before flying off on different trajectories.

The two resulting explosions sent shockwaves for miles around. Communication was cut off from the mobile base. Alerts suddenly blared across headquarters. The Angel's drill had pierced into the Geofront.

"--hurry for a second shot!" Misato's voice exclaimed as the comm link came back on.

"Exchanging fuses!"

"Get the barrel cooled down, now!"

As fires raged from the two explosions, Unit 01 moved to fire again. EVA-00 remained motionless. For a few tense seconds there was no action, only silence. Then just as quickly...

"Second high energy reaction detected in the target!"

"No, its too soon!"

---

In the entry plug of EVA-01, Rei began to sweat. Thoughts raced through her mind too quickly to make any sense of, besides the overall sense of impending death. She tried to remain collected as the Angel readied to fire once again. The positron cannon still had nineteen seconds before it was able to fire again.

It was like a dream as the enemy's beam approached her. Rei watched in slow-motion as Unit 00, the Evangelion she had so much seat time in, stepped in front of the beam. The shield held steady as the second shot came closer, but began to melt around the edges.

Unit 00 moved, trying to make itself hide behind the ever-shrinking area which was protected by the shield.

As the shield finally gave way, the second shot still wasn't ready. Seconds seemed like hours as Rei watched, helpless, as Unit 00's armor began to melt as well. In a small corner of her mind, she realized that Shinji had been pushed to the edge of death after only five seconds of exposure to the enemy's weapon.

Prototype EVA-00's arms, which had been held up in some attempt to dissuade the attack from its core, were finally blown off. Behind the shielding head unit which housed the aiming computers, a single tear welled up in Rei's eye and fell slowly down her cheek before dissolving into the LCL. For a mere fraction of a second, almost too quickly to be detected, an AT Field halted the Angel's attack.

Ayanami fired immediately after she was ordered, piercing the exact center of the Angel. Things came back to real time quickly as she watched the decimated Unit 00 fall to the ground, its broken body steaming. Rei quickly acknowledged the fact that the LCL inside Mitamura's entry plug was boiling. His life was in her hands as she ripped the plug casing armor off the EVA's back.

The entry plug ejected, LCL automatically evacuating from the plug's interior. She grabbed the plug, feedback from the EVA burning her hand. She set the plug down and ejected her own, scaling down EVA-01. The emergency access panel burned her hands further as the twisted the tabs open with all of her remaining strength.

Rei burst into the plug with unexpected urgency. "Mitamura-san!" The boy lie prone in the pilot's chair. His eyes were closed. Was he... dead? She grabbed his hand with one of hers, using the other to press softly against his shoulder. He still had a pulse. "W-... wake up... Mitamura-san..."

The first thing he felt as he regained consciousness was the gentle grasp which held his hand. '_This touch... is this a mother's touch? But I don't know what such a thing feels like..._'

Then her voice slowly grew. A woman calling his name...

He blinked his eyes open. They slowly focused in on the source of these feelings. Ayanami Rei.

"Ayanami..." he said with a ragged voice before coughing up some residual LCL.

"Mitamura, you're alive," she responded, her voice moving back towards its usual tone.

"You saved me..." Her head suddenly dropped.

"I... I don't know why... but I'm crying..."

"You're sad?"

She took a moment to consider the question. "No, that's why I don't understand. You said... you would help me find a purpose beyond being a pilot, if we survived. Given such an option... I did not want you to die." Kunihiko chuckled just a little, although it was painful to do so.

"Sorry I messed up your EVA. I'm glad you're OK." Neither one of them seemed to realize how tightly their hands were clenched together.

-  
End Chapter 04.

Author's Notes: Don't read too far into the apparent "pairing" I had brought into the light. Remember, this is still Ayanami Rei. I realize she probably seemed a bit OOC in this chapter, but one must realize that no one really reached out to Rei in the series. Sure, Shinji was kind of "close" to her, but maybe she just needed that one extra person to help strengthen that bond she shares with Shinji. Oh well. This is the direction I had planned to take this work.


End file.
